Writing a great CV is crucial to make a positive impression on potential employers or recruiters. A CV is an important tool for you to share your experience and highlight why you should be considered for the role you are applying for and to ultimately secure an interview.
In this article we have shared some tips on what to include on your CV, that will help make your CV stand out and help the person reading your CV quickly see that you have the relevant knowledge and experience.
Tailor Your CV
Customise your CV for each job application. Highlight the skills, experiences and achievements that are most relevant to the specific position you're applying for.
Clear and Concise Formatting
Use a clean and professional layout with consistent fonts and spacing.
Organise your CV into clear sections: Contact Information, Summary, Work Experience, Education and Skills.
Keep verb tenses consistent and maintain a uniform style throughout your CV.
Contact Information
Include your full name, phone number, email address and location (city/town).
Make sure your email address sounds professional.
Summary
Write a brief (2-3 sentences) summary or objective statement that highlights your skills, experience and career goals.
Work Experience
List your work experience in reverse chronological order (most recent job first).
For each job, include the job title, company name, location and dates of employment.
Use bullet points to detail your responsibilities and accomplishments.
Focus on quantifiable achievements (e.g. "Increased sales by 20%," "Led a team of 10").
Include the projects you worked on plus the project cost and size of project.
Education
Include your highest level of education and any relevant degrees or certifications.
Include the name of the institution, degree earned, graduation date and any honors or distinctions.
Skills
List relevant skills that match the job requirements.
Separate your skills into categories such as technical skills, soft skills and languages.
Achievements and Impact
Highlight specific achievements that demonstrate your value to previous employers.
Focus on how your contributions positively impacted the company or team.
Proofread your CV
Check your CV for grammar and spelling errors. Mistakes can leave a negative impression.
Length of CV
Aim for a CV length of 1-2 pages, depending on your experience. Entry-level candidates might have a shorter CV, while more experienced professionals can extend it to two pages.
We hope these points have been useful and have given you some good ideas on how to enhance your current CV. Remember, your CV is a marketing tool to showcase your qualifications and skills. Continuously update and refine it as you gain new experiences and accomplishments.
Need more advice on writing your CV?
Do you want more advice on how to make your CV a standout CV? We have written a number of articles to help improve your CV, which you can view by clicking the below links…
Ready to start searching for a new job?
If your CV is ready to go then we have a huge number of great opportunities available across the Construction, Civil Engineering, Rail, Power and Telecoms sectors. Search and apply for your next job now.
